April 30, 2013

This is my clear assertion based on a dramatic shift I have noted in Wenger’s body language and his rhetoric during all forms of media communication. In this blog post I will explain why I stand by this.

Let me start by giving you all a big tip, thanks to the wonderful world of social media you now need never read the absolute garbage made-up by the gutter press ever again. They make their headlines and stories up based on the weekly pre-match press conference, the post match interviews with the associated media (SKY, BBC, ESPN et al), and the actual post match conference with the media. Wenger will also give Arsenal Player interviews but the content is always very similar to that of his conferences. So the tip is… go on Twitter before every game and in the search type “Wenger press conference” and after maybe 3/4 hours post match do the same. Then quite simply proceed to watch the video of what he actually says to the media.

Once you do this for a prolonged period your hatred of the media will grow, and the belief you had of them being liars will only intensify. They twist his words totally out of context to suit a headline, that is the bottom line. What then happens is our low IQ fans follow this carp and buy right into the lies.

Problem? Football has it’s roots firmly in the working classes, no matter how fashionable and middle class it aspires to be these days, the masses will always come from the former. They generally read The Sun or associated red top filth to help form their views. They then think they know it all and spout their nonsense all over blogs, twitter etc. Seriously if you are one of these types and I have just described you, don’t get angry with me… stand up and move your entire bloodline forward and make it count.

I digress, going back to my original assertion about believing AW has his transfer targets wrapped up…….. considering we are in a right royal battle for a Champs League place he seems remarkably relaxed and jokey in his recent pre/post conferences, and this week he made two very poignant quotes. Firstly when asked about links to PSG he stated “I always see my contracts out and I am already planning for next season (at Arsenal)” when asked about Fergie’s transfer intentions this summer he joked “I don’t know who he buys but he certainly does not come here to shop” To me this shouts in clear 40ft neon letters ARSENAL WILL BE BACK NEXT SEASON.

Add to this his quote of “Arsenal will be a lot closer to United next season” and it’s all making sense… to me anyway.

The naysayers amongst you will now be saying “yes but he says that every summer etc etc” – but the problem is he never has, I absolutely dig out every interview and presser of his on a weekly basis and never have I heard him as direct on the following season. This for me is based on a number of factors this time around.

1. There is no noise about losing a top player, every summer since the Emirates move there has been Henry, Adebayor, Toure, Nasri, Cesc, and Cutch Dunt.

2. We have now finally moved onto new vastly improved commercial deals during this season which certainly give us a proper transfer pot… and don’t talk to me about 100M in the bank until you have a degree in Accounting like I do and analyse balance sheets in order to make investment decisions as I do for a day job. I will just eat you up and spit you out.

3. Gazidis made a massive point some time last year about Summer 2013 being one where we lose a lot of deadwood off our wage bill, Arshavin Squillaci to name two who earn about 5M a year between them.

4. If you need a 4th point after reading the previous 3 you need men in white coats.

Wenger’s brimming confidence and almost bravado about closing on United next season must have a huge amount to do with his knowing perfectly well that he is stocked up for next season. I would be stunned if Jovetic is not already done and dusted. He would be an incredible addition, and to those who say he is no Lewandowski…. did you even know who he was before he scored 4 against Real? Reading The Sun again are we?

That’s the positive stuff, I hate to end on a more negative footing but I shoot from the hip. Wenger has from the very moment he joined Arsenal been a most awful user of subs, even during our brightest seasons under him I distinctly recall him screwing it up with subs over and over, and this season I have seen him excel at it. The Spurs game away, what the hell was Jenkinson doing aside from roasting Assou-Ekoto at every opportunity and whipping in delightful crosses for Giroud? to take him off pffft.. and this blind faith in Sagna, a player who has been a servant of the highest order for this club, but who has clearly been off his game for some time now is dumbfounding… and for those saying that is easy to say today after yesterday… check previous posts and even more, check my twitter timeline from the game. Yes, his foolishness was called way before he gifted Cutch Dunt a goal. I’m sorry but he is finished, it’s clear, very clear. Alas, Wenger just won’t drop him, he is loyal to the end… but whose end?

Bottom line, this is it for the great man, there will be absolutely no mitigation for the impending summer…….

but you already know that I firmly back him to bring it all back. (Cue S Club 7)

April 28, 2013

The lame talk of United rocking up as newly crowned Champions and strolling this match are left to the dim witted guessers who are new to this sport. Clearly they may rest one or two, but they have the like of Chico to step in and give us the run around. The long held rivalry between the clubs – the classic North South hatred – will ensure no game between these two sides will ever feature one side not bothering to show up.

Since Wengerball MK II (as opposed to MK I Paddy types with power) the United games home and away have had a very clear and distinct pattern. They bulldoze the midfield and disrupt our play whilst waiting to pounce on the counter via Ronaldo, Rooney, Park et al

Those games have usually meant something and United have needed to take points, so Fergie plays percentages, he is smarter than to come to a toe to toe war with Arsenal if he needs to get something. This dynamic is different for Sunday’s match. As new champs they need to come and give it a go without having to resort to roughing us up and sitting back soaking it up. This should mean an epic ebb and flow to the match.

Following the Spuds draw today, the necessity from our part to go for all 3 points is paramount and this new game dynamic should be ideal for the gooner and the neutral. It’s rare to get such a opening to take on United in a duel to the death… a duel for the ages.

I’m the first to hold my hands up and say YES to the shout of Wenger not being enthused by impressing tactics on opposition, but if it comes to an all out gunfight of pure end to end attacking open play… there is no better manager to have in your dressing room / touchline.

Giroud missing and the reality of Podolski getting his chance to shine as a centre forward in the colours of Arsenal is catalyst that could step us up. Whilst the Frenchman has done a splendid job in his inaugural season, he is not a born finisher, the German certainly is.

This could finish any stupid scoreline, if we don’t take our chances and fail at the back a spanking is on the cards, but on the same token if it clicks for us there is no reason we cannot give the champions a right taking down. I’ll have 5 goals or more in the match at 6/1.

April 13, 2013

Clearly I was just another bandwagon hopper in the early glory days at Highbury for Wenger, which gooner did not love the man who led us to double doubles and an entire season undefeated…. which he predicted a year earlier. His greatness shone like the star that led the wise men to Jesus.

We all loved him back then, then came the split and you became an AKB or …. a hater.

So why have I vehemently stood my ground and stayed true and loyal to the man through these lean years? This blog was started in early 2009, right at the peak of the split, before then it was rumbles here and there, but AKB or otherwise became a staple of gooner chat from around that time… from my recollection anyway.

This blog post is not about defending these lean years and paying off the stadium and blah blah blah, you have heard that from me too many times already… but today at his weekly press conference the boss reminded me again of what I have always really liked about him, this being his ultra genuine decent human level.

When asked about Arshavin who has transpired to be an incredible waste of 15M(ish) in fee and god knows how many more millions in wages, a real splattering of egg on Wenger’s face with him being his and Arsenal’s record signing of all time, to this day I may add, he proceeded to laud the Russian with the kind of praise you would have expected for a soon to depart Dennis Bergkamp. Instead of kicking a man when he is down, Wenger chose to stand by him and raise him. This is a glowing example of why you will never find an ex player of his that berates him… he treats his players like his real family. He helps them progress, at times even progress to better wages and circumstances away from Arsenal. Always looking out for his players.

Would you ever expect Jose or Alex to do that? Now if your answer to this is well look at what they have won etc etc… I say no, look at yourself, if you miss the point of what I’m trying to spell out then it’s a greater reflection of the kind of human you are deep inside.

None of us are perfect, nobody that ever lived has been or will be to come.. we all have our indiscretions and at times skip away from the true soul within us to become an actor in an outer body experience, betraying our real self. However, we all have to come back inside the real us, and live with who you truly are.

I’m just very happy that I understand the resonance with Wenger that I have always maintained comes down to a very simple underlying fact.

Shankly said that famous thing about football being more than life or something of that ilk, he was totally wrong.

April 5, 2013

Arsene Wenger has recently issued a very strong warning to every player on his squad,telling them that their future with the club will depend on their play for the rest of thisseason.

Wenger recently told reporters that individual performances will help him make uphis mind who to keep and who to pursue during the summer transfer period. He saidthat, “We have to analyse. What will decide our attitude, my attitude, is how we do nowuntil the end of the season.”

The club is current in fifth place overall in the Premier League, just four point behindTottenham. While a fifth place spot guarantees a Europa League spot for next year, theclub is shooting for one of the top four spots so that they can return to the ChampionsLeague next year.

Should the club make the Champions League, Wenger is authorized to use a largeportion of funds acquired in a deal with official gaming partner Betsson in an attempt tostrengthen the club. However, should they fall short of the Champions League the clubwill spend a lot less.

For now, Arsene will continue to take notes on where the club needs to improve at theend of the season. While everyone’s job is on the line, he has praised the club for theirresiliency in the face of adversity. After going through some tough times, includinglosses at home against Blackburn in the FA Cup and Bayern in the Champions League,the team played strong against Bayern in the away game and then against Swansea.

December 6, 2012

I think the time has come to post a measured response to the Wenger bashers, who are out in force at present…. let me start by saying that I don’t blame a lot of you for losing the faith, this is easily the worst period in the Wenger era.

However, there is hope.

7 years ago, there was a similar split up north with the Manchester United fans, Chelsea had won two titles in a row and previous to that Arsenal had won the title by going a season unbeaten – the weak wanted Fergie out, the strong of mind kept the faith and have been duly rewarded ever since.

Wenger today, is the roughly the same age as Fergie was when the Manc fans lost the faith – too old, lost the plot, not got it anymore… you know the rhetoric.

Greatness never dies, it may tone itself down here or there, but true greatness is always there lurking in the background.

You know where I am going with this so I won’t labour the point I am trying to make. Moving on, what is so clearly evident for the first time in years is we have a very weak squad, some of you may scream this has been the case for years but I would disagree, we had the players in the past but injuries and rotten luck robbed us. This time it’s different as we are being comprehensively beaten by smaller clubs and hanging on in there with bigger clubs, just.

Our game has no fluidity whatsoever – the very epicenter of Wengerball.

Bottom line? We need 3 big time players.

A centre back who is rough tough and does not care about breaking bones. The lad from Montpellier Yanga Mwbia? Has to be the man.

A central midfield bodyguard for Cazorla and Co. A beast who takes no prisoners, gets a terrible disciplinary record, but can do the job of hurting players who think they can stop our attack minded players from doing their thing. At the moment it’s just way too easy to take control of our midfield by flooding it with nasty winkers. We need our own, and the bigger the better. I have a name… maybe you have heard it before… M’Vila?

Finally we need an electric super charged pace filled centre forward to compete with Giroud, a player who will be utterly useless for 88 minuted but will score a thunderbolt curler from the edge of the box in the last minute to win the game and get the fans pumped! I know this guy does not fill many of you with joy but I think the man is Demba Ba.

There it is, quite simply we need a new dynamic, as the current set-up is not up to it, we started well early in the season but we can now see that it was just papering over the cracks as we needed at least 5 top class players in the summer.

Why am I confident Wenger will shut you up and actually spend this January?

Simple, you may think he is stupid…. but it’s hard to get the big picture when you have such a small screen.

October 20, 2012

The most pathetic travel arrangements I have ever heard of… they took a flight for 14 whole minutes, went through airport security etc etc, for a 14 minute plane ride to Norwich airport from Luton airport.

September 27, 2012

So with the lowly Coventry dispatched with consummate ease earlier this evening, focus now turns to a Saturday lunchtime humdinger of a match against the mob from West of Moscow.

Both sides are firing in the goals at the minute, but there is a difference, one side is solid and leaking the odd goal whilst the other is rather living on the edge and having to outscore opponents.

Chelski had the perfect team to play us over the past 7 years, solid defence, solid midfield and Drogba. Now they have a leaky hosed up defence, only fancy dan tricksters in midfield, and Torres.

Robby Di Matteo might impress many, since he won the cup and the UCL last season, but that was not his side, JT, Drogba and Lumpy jointly player managed it, and with the Drog gone for a number 59 it leaves the legless lamps and the nazi to run affairs whilst Robby takes the Match of the Day interviews. Joke outfit, who get by via the magic of 3 players, namely Mata, Hazard and Oscar.

A lot has been talked about re: Steve Bould making a difference, which he clearly has – but it’s still the genius of the main man making things tick. The genius of the same very man who has already shown his minerals by taking this club to league titles etc. He now has the financial power again to balance a side with youth and experience on a proper footing, he had to blag it for the past 5 seasons… not anymore.

September 25, 2012

The young guns along with the first teamers who are not getting the requisite playing time take to the pitch in the newly named Capital One Cup tonight, and it should give us a huge insight into the next generation along with the strength in depth the first team have. The game is not going to be broadcast anywhere live, so no streams will be available, which is fine by me as I’m through to the latter stages of an online poker tournament kicking off at the same time.

If you are interested in a players rewards card click here From the photos on the Arsenal site it appears Emi Martinez will keep goal with Yennaris and Santos full backs and Miquel and JD in the middle of defence. The front 6 will be Coquelin, Ox, Arshavin, Gnabry, Giroud and Theo. This is a shot in the dark really, but I would imagine that side is at least 75% correct. Has a cracking balance to it.

Gnabry is the raved up young gun this season, so will be interested to see more of him, but I’m told by a friend who is a real avid and seasoned pro at watching our reserves/youths that the man who is the real next star coming through will be our Argentine between the sticks, Emi Martinez. Apparently Argentina are ready to fast track him already into the national side.

Coventry will not provide much resistance, they are hopeless, and in dire form having been relegated from the Championship last season they have carried on where they left off last season.

In reality, Giroud will absolutely never get a better chance to score at least one goal… he should really look for a brace at the minimum as the defence he plays against will be pathetic.

All in all, a lowly cup when compared to the UCL, but a far more fascinating set of games than the opening group stages of the latter named European competition.

September 18, 2012

In the past the club have used the youngsters in a blooding experiment, but with the current composition of the squad and the Next Gen Competition, Arsenal have got to be firm favourites to life the Carling Cup this season.

Why?

Well our decent youngsters have all come through to claim 1st team/just behind 1st team spots:

Chezney, Gibbs, Frimpong, Coquelin, Wilshere, OX

The second rate youngsters and the 1st teamers who could not cut it have been shipped out:

Lansbury, Bendter etc

Now with the really good up and coming youngsters competing regularly in the Next Gen series, coupled with an immensely deep 1st team squad with maybe 7 or 8 top midfielders competing for just 3 midfield starting spots, our Carling cup side this year could be a midfield of Jack, Coq, and Rambo.

Andre Santos looks a certain starter, and you can definitely see Jack being deployed back into competitive football with the 3 games before Christmas (should we win through each round of course)

With Per, TV and Kos fighting it out and one man missing out a lot of games, this man being Kos right now, he now also looks a certain starter for the Carling cup.

Up front, you could say Giroud could get his chance to boost his confidence, with maybe Chamakh backing him up.

You do have real emerging young guns like Gnabry who will stake a claim, subject to Next Gen fixtures.

Exciting times ahead, the fabled lack of strength in depth is just that…. a fable.